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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
astonishment
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From this reading Ruth's astonishment blurred for the moment her penetration.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
blurred
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From this reading Ruth's astonishment blurred for the moment her penetration.
carefully
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From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "How soon do you think she could come to us?"
controlled
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From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "How soon do you think she could come to us?"
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "How soon do you think she could come to us?"
Erskine
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From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
expected
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From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Ruth's astonishment blurred for the moment her penetration.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "How soon do you think she could come to us?"
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
low
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From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ruth's astonishment blurred for the moment her penetration.
more
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From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
penetration
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ruth's astonishment blurred for the moment her penetration.
questionnounUS /ˈquestion/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
RENUNCIATION
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From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
Ruth's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ruth's astonishment blurred for the moment her penetration.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
soon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "How soon do you think she could come to us?"
speaking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
spoke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
stoppednounUS /stopped/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "How soon do you think she could come to us?"
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
toldnounUS /told/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "How soon do you think she could come to us?"
utter
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From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
very
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From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
voice
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From this reading When at last Erskine spoke in a low, carefully controlled voice, he asked the very last question that his mother expected.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
WHENconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading RENUNCIATION WHEN she stopped speaking because there was nothing more to be told, they sat for a little in utter silence.
WhopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading "Who?"
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "How soon do you think she could come to us?"